JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Aldi’s newest North Fulton location opened Aug. 8 at Jones Bridge Road and State Bridge Road giving the city a true alternative in grocery shopping.

The German-based company offers savings for using its Euro-brands instead of the national brands found in other stores. Aldi has 1,200 stores in the United States with 52 of them in the Southeast, 32 in greater Atlanta. This Aldi joins one in Roswell and one in Milton.

Aldi District Manager Grace Bennett in the Jefferson Division said the company does not have specific plans for more expansion in the North Fulton area, but the company is always on the lookout for opportunities to expand.

“We plan to open seven to 10 stores over the next few years,” she said. “We are continuing to grow and expand.

“We offer the lowest prices with 95 percent of our own brands made by the leading food manufacturers,” Bennett said. “That way, we deliver quality and price to our customers.”

That echoed a statement released by Thom Behtz, Jefferson Division vice president.

“We challenge shoppers to switch from national brands to our high-quality exclusive brands and save up to 50 percent without compromising. As important as price is, the only way to attract and keep shoppers is to have quality products,” Behtz said.

Aldi backs up its claims with its double guarantee. If a shopper is not satisfied with a product, the store replaces it and refunds the money.

Produce, another hallmark of Aldi stores, is bought in bulk from local growers so that customers have choice of fresh vegetables, Bennett said.

This Aldi is a new prototype, Bennett said. It has a smaller footprint and is easier to navigate and allows customers to get in and out easily. Nevertheless, the store stocks some 1,400 items sold under the Aldi brand on its shelves.

Aldi also saves money through its cart “rental” system where customers insert a quarter to release a cart. The quarter is returned when the cart is returned to the stall. Other savings derive from allowing customers to bag their own groceries and encourage them to bring their own shopping bags.

The savings in overhead are passed on to the customer, the company says.

Johns Creek Mayor Mike Bodker was on hand to greet one of the city’s newest businesses.

“I’m excited. First, because this is the fourth ribbon cutting I have been to this week. It shows things are turning around economically in the city,” Bodker said. “And I am a weekly Aldi’s shopper. It is great to have a store here locally, so I won’t have to travel so far.”